The Region

A request by broadcasters to take television cameras into the courtroom during the preliminary hearing for Night Stalker suspect Richard Ramirez was denied by Los Angeles Municipal Judge James F. Nelson, who agreed with an earlier ruling by another judge that the ban is needed to "protect the dignity of the court." Philip W. Boesch, attorney for the Radio and Television News Assn., said he and other representatives of news organizations plan to appeal Nelson's ruling. The hearing for Ramirez, who faces 14 murder charges in Los Angeles County, is set for Feb. 24.